FOR ANIMAL LOVERS – By Charles Schokman
Milly my furry daughter Kira my furry G’ daughter
Will My Dog Be in Heaven?
Many Christians, especially those who have loved and lost a pet might wonder: will our animals be in Heaven? While Scripture doesn’t offer a direct answer, it does provide clues that help us consider this heartfelt question.
God’s Care for Creation
The Bible makes it clear that God loves and cares for all His creation, including animals:
In the Garden of Eden, God created a perfect environment where humans and animals coexisted in harmony (Genesis 1–2). Animals were part of the “very good” creation in God’s world (Genesis 1:31).
Matthew 10:29 reminds us that not even a sparrow falls to the ground without God’s knowledge. And Psalm 36:6 declares, “You save humans and animals alike, O Lord.”
This care suggests that animals are valuable to God, for they were created by Him as a grand display of his creativity. Eden is a picture of God’s perfect plan for His creation. If animals were part of God’s original perfect creation, it’s likely they are also a part of His renewed creation.
The presence of animals in Eden reminds us that their existence was intentional and meaningful, not random or disposable. God’s love and care for all creatures are evident throughout other Scriptures mentioned below:
– In Jonah 4:11, God expresses concern not only for the people of Nineveh but also for its animals.
– Proverbs 12:10 says, “The righteous care for the needs of their animals,” reflecting God’s heart for the creatures He made.
We can see from these few scriptures that a part of God’s character is that He does not disregard the animals we love and He created, and His plan for eternity will reflect His goodness and compassion.
Do Animals Have Souls?
Humans are made in God’s image (Genesis 1:26-27) and have eternal souls. Animals, while not made in God’s image, are described in Scripture as having the “breath of life” (Genesis 7:15). This term “breath of life” is not used exclusively of humans – Job 10:12, Psalm 31:5 talks about humans having a “ruach” a Spirit. In Ecclesiates 3:20-21 also speaks of an animal having a spirit.
20 All go to the same place; all come from dust, and to dust all return. 21 Who knows if the human spirit rises upward and if the spirit of the animal goes down into the earth?” (NIV) And in Genesis 7:21-22,
21 And all flesh died that moved on the earth, birds, livestock, beasts, all swarming creatures that swarm on the earth, and all mankind. 22 Everything on the dry land in whose nostrils was the breath of life died.
There is also Genesis 1:21,
21 So God created the great sea creatures and every living creature that moves, with which the waters swarm, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. The term there “living creature” is an “alive soul”. Plants are alive but aren’t talked about in the bible in the similar way that human and animals do as having the “breath of life”. Now this doesn’t mean that humans and animals are the same in any way, Genesis 1:26 makes it very clear. God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” Humans are exclusively God’s image bearers on the earth – not animals and yet we have that same life force that comes from God inside of us.
The Nature of Heaven and Disappointment
Heaven is a place of ultimate joy and fulfillment in the presence of God. If the presence of your beloved dog would bring you joy, it’s possible that God, in His goodness, could include them in Heaven. After all, God is the source of every good gift (James 1:17). We might be concerned that we will be disappointed that our beloved pet may not be with us in Heaven but being in the presence of God isn’t like anything we have experienced here on earth. Some of the hurts and issues we have faced in this lifetime will fade into insignificance in the presence of the almighty.
For our momentary, light distress [this passing trouble] is producing for us an eternal weight of glory [a fullness] beyond all measure [surpassing all comparisons, a transcendent splendor and an endless blessedness]!
2 Corinthians 4:17-18 Amplified Bible (AMP). And the Apostle here is talking about the suffering and persecution that he and other believers are going through – not losing a pet – so how much more so will this temporary pain be overwhelmed in the presence and love of the Father.
A Matter of Trust
Ultimately, whether your dog will be in Heaven is something we must entrust to God’s wisdom and goodness. Scripture doesn’t give us all the answers, but it does assure us that Heaven will be a place of perfect peace, joy, and love in God’s presence. Revelation 21:1 speaks of a “new heaven and a new earth,” a restored creation free from sin and death. While Scripture doesn’t explicitly mention individual animals being resurrected, the presence of animals in the new heaven and earth wouldn’t be far-fetched. If the new earth is a perfected version of this one, animals—who are an integral part of creation— will most very well be present. —Courtesy of Paul Romano
May your and my beloved pets-Kira & Mliiy find a placed in heaven for—–All things bright and beautiful, All creatures great and small, All things wise and wonderful, The Lord God made them all.
Pray the video clips below give you a better understanding of God’s creation and will be a blessing to you.
YOU ARE WELCOME TO PASS THIS ON
Charles
